McConnell and Lieberman

/in /by

Isikoff and Hosenball tell us what we already know–McConnell is a liar (only the crack headline artists at Newsweek call this "an error"). But here’s an odd detail in their story about McConnell’s petulant confession.

After questions about his testimony were raised, McConnell calledLieberman to clarify his statements to the Senate Committee on HomelandSecurity and Governmental Affairs, an official said. (A spokeswoman forLieberman confirmed that McConnell called the senator Tuesday but couldnot immediately confirm what they spoke about.)

Usually, when someone lies to Congress and "realizes" it, the process for clarifying testimony is simple. You write a written clarification. But that’s not what McConnell did. He talked to Lieberman personally, on the phone, leaving no public record of their conversation.

Now here’s the original exchange:

MCCONNELL: [The new FISA law] was passed, as you well know, andwe’re very pleased with that. And we’re better prepared now to continueour mission; specifically Germany, significant contributions. Itallowed us to see and understand all the connections with –

LIEBERMAN: The newly adopted law facilitated that during August?

MCCONNELL: Yes, sir, it did.

Maybe I just have lost all trust in Lieberman, but the original exchange sure seems like a set-up to me. "Hey Joey," McConnell says, "Why don’t you throw me a softball on the FISA program?" And then later, "Um, Joey, that softball your threw me? Well, I hit a foul ball. How do you want to handle it? I don’t want to lose the benefit of the erroneous claim. But what cab I do to protect myself, legally?"

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  1. joanneleon says:

    Give us a kiss.

    Is it any surprise that a liar goes to the Liarman for cover?

    The only silver lining in this is that McConnell doesn’t impress me as a very good liar. He seems to be a nervous type. Getting him on the stand more often would be a good thing. He’ll screw up again and again.

  2. radiofreewill says:

    No messaging here…

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20754861/

    BAGHDAD – The most prominent figure in a revolt of Sunni sheiks against al-Qaida in Iraq was killed Thursday in an explosion near his home in Anbar province, police said.

    Abdul-Sattar Abu Risha was leader of the Anbar Salvation Council, also known as the Anbar Awakening — an alliance of clans backing the Iraqi government and U.S. forces.

    Abu Risha and two of his bodyguards were killed by a roadside bomb, said Col. Tareq Youssef, supervisor of Anbar police.

  5. ManagedChaos says:

    â€Abdul-Sattar Abu Risha was leader of the Anbar Salvation Council, also known as the Anbar Awakening — an alliance of clans backing the Iraqi government and U.S. forces.â€

    Isn’t this the guy Bush was fellating on his recent trip to Iraq?

    http://abuaardvark.typepad.com….._37799.jpg

  7. P J Evans says:

    Key Sunni ally killed in blast
    From the Associated Press | 7:18 a.m.
    ’The most prominent figure in a U.S.-backed revolt of Sunni sheiks against Al Qaeda is assassinated in Anbar province.’

    Looks like it. I guess some of his neighbors had a different opinion.

  8. Sally says:

    â€Nonetheless, some officials said, as news of McConnell’s misstatements spread, it would be in the intelligence director’s best interests to correct his testimony—advice he is now heeding.â€

    The â€advice he is now heeding†is to have someone else correct his testimony. Oh, those Republic girly-men are something else!

  9. ecoast says:

    He can talk to Lieberman all he wants to, but the fact is either he corrects his testimony with a written letter (and thus lose face), or face perjury or misleading Congress charges. This is the drum that the Dems and progressive bloggers should be beating on.
    I think Conyers/Reyes letters are opening shots in this new drama.

  10. emptywheel says:

    Managed Chaos

    That’s the guy. I guess that just raised the costs for a Sunni tribal chief to oppose AQI.

  11. radiofreewill says:

    OT re: Bush’s speech tonight

    Doesn’t it seem that Bush is propping-up Gen. Petraeus in front of him – just the way Cheney propped-up Libby to hide the orchestration behind the Plame Leak?

    Isn’t this the same thing? About to happen before our very eyes on national teevee?

    We’ve had the politicization of the Media. Is this now the politicization of the Military, too?

  12. Anonymous says:

    Looks like Bush â€picked a bad week to quit sniffing glue.†Anbar Sheik of Success; blown up. Hero Surgin General Petraeus; a â€little chickenshit ass kisser†according to his superior. Critical Iraqi Oil Law; down the crankcase. Should be a wonderful night for an inspirational speech by glorious leader.

  13. Darclay says:

    So who doesn’t know Liberman and McConnell are FB.
    Between Hunt and the Killing of Abu Risha leaves Bush and Betrayus up th eproverbial creek.

  14. Darclay says:

    So who doesn’t know Liberman and McConnell are FB.
    Between Hunt and the Killing of Abu Risha leaves Bush and Betrayus up the proverbial creek.

  18. JG says:

    Have you considered that he may not be lying? Perhaps the technology of this â€new law†was in force BEFORE it was signed officially and he was talking about how well that worked (when it wasn’t supposed to exist yet).

  19. Neil says:

    DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE

    Washington, DC 20511
    September 12, 2007

    Statement by the Director of National Intelligence
    Mr. Mike McConnell
    During the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on September 10, 2007, I discussed the critical importance to our national security of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), and the recent amendments to FISA made by the Protect America Act. The Protect America Act was urgently needed by our intelligence professionals to close critical gaps in our capabilities and permit them to more readily follow terrorist threats, such as the plot uncovered in Germany. However, information contributing to the recent arrests was not collected under authorities provided by the Protect America Act.

    What’s missing? [AS I ASSERTED UNDER OATH TO CONGRESS]

    What else is missing? An explanation for this error. Was he misinformed? Did he say it without knowning the facts? Did he say it for political reasons even though he didn’t know if it were true? Did he say it for political reasons even though he knew it was untrue?

    Clarly, Mike is aware the Protect American Act was contraversial legislation.

    Is his statement sufficiently specific to correct the record? Is there any indication he sent it to the Senate Committee?

  20. Anonymous says:

    JG – Considered it for about half a second. I don’t think the German thing has anything to do with new FISA, old FISA or FISA at all. We have been, and especially the NSA (this is what they were born to do in the first place), snooping at will overseas. Like cboldt, from the evidence known, I think this has nothing to do with FISA at all.